glossy kiss kiss

Yes, very bad at updating...been so burdened with moving in a new place, sorry ;_;...

But...in honor of fantastic lippie discovery let me tell what you may already know, but...Guerlain's Kiss Kiss Stick gloss are ( IMHO) just or better than the wateriest Japanese lipstick out there. I mean I love my jp lippies in their gorgeous array of mlbb shades. But sometimes is hard to get hold of them, and what if we have a sudden urge for watermelon-red lipstick?! (#963 my perfect quasi-red)

The Kiss Kiss are lipstick but go on so lightly, finish is sheer and very moisturizing.The shine is subtle,perfect for office. Not recommended if you like super shiny gloss. One annoying fact about the one I have got is that once you turn up the swivel to get more lipstick, you can not go back..so bad. Literally the lipstick sticks out and you know is so easy to get it messed up if you can not return it inside the sleeve.

Though I am surprised to like a red so much, I am more fond of natural shades,I think I will get the "mango fizz" Kiss kiss next time.
:)

hair rant :(

Before going to the hair rant, let's have some choco-rant: Why there is no "100% chocolate cafe " in NYC? so we only get Ippudo but no choco cafe? I want to try it out ! ;P

if there is one thing I truly dislike about myself is my hair.

Is just has so many little issues that I can handle some of them, but not all.. I can control the tendency to have dried up scalp with some japanese stuff,which is the most important for me, because I do not want to go bald!

But, the crazy frizzines of my hair drives me insane in summer. I have tried all kinds of creams,gels etc. Last one was Fekkai's glossing which is pretty nice on all my friends but me. It smoothes my hair out for 20 minutes, in which is glossy, shiny and soft looking...but then the humidity wins and I have sheep's head for the rest of the day.

I use camellia oil for the dryness, and it has helped a ton, yet my hair is not yet nice. I think it might be impossible to fix,not curly enough, not wavy enough , not straight..not fine yet not coarse...what-the-hell hair.

to say, my friends find me in a crowd by my puffy hair :( !!

the only plus side? my hair naturally highlights itself, because I have random golden hairs . This actually might look bad.

So in sum, love your hair! I hate mine!

Moon water? spf

Nars Aquagel I love how you make my face moist and plump without grease!
I wish you were not this expensive though...

Has anyone tried the Chidoriya Peach Moon water/toner? I am very curious because is supposed to be anti-inflamatory and has very pure ingredients. But, I do not find any reviews, so I am still on the brink of trying it out. Ahhh indecision...

Also I have been trying out the Fasio spf55 face & body , the blue one. I used to like it last year.This year's edition seems too greasy and I have some clogged pores, also the formula separates itself into serum and cream, so you have to careful shaking it to ensure you get an even consistency, too much hassle, sad...too bad the price was so great at ~14 dollars, since it is a drugstore brand.

Finally, there is nowhere to find this summer's Albion Shooting Spots, ebay please!

idea for clean eyes

Thank you for reading this, is been a long time since I posted. In the meantime I read your blogs and drooled over your makeup, seriously! Thank you very much to all of you who left your warm good wishes, I treasure them.

This is an integrate-shiseido ad promoting their new liner-shadow pen combo ( I never really get to use those, but that is just me), I like this simple , clean makeup and glossy geometric hair . The hair part I could never pull off, my hair is way too wavy. The makeup? really easy to dupe and office appropriate.

Dupe version!: Lids and crease with P&J silvery blue white eye gloss. Upper Lid with a white jelly ( Jill stuart, Lavshuca?) with some blue or light blue shimmer ( this makes the eyes brighter, more than just white). Lower lids with the same jelly ( slanted brush makes it easier) , and finally some serious black gel lining,thicker on the outer edges. Doooone! Pair with non powdery ( try gel) neutral cheeks, not cool pinks, it can get too ice -princessy.

On gel liners... my Clinique one smudges, the Kate one hardens in the pan in no time, Mac one is already solid like frozen butter, Esprique Precious gel liner has the best texture but the colors faint a bit during the day ,which is not so bad, but..I yet have to find a gel liner to love. My next one will probably be the new shu uemura one. We will see!

Love,
Lou

Happier

Thank you all very much for your kind comments on my cat, I am happy to feel supported.
Feeling better everyday...


Million Hugs

tagged+brightening

This is a new the upcoming product from Albion's Exage : shooting spots. I love how the Japanese summer releases are focused on brightening. I would like to try this if its available online, since Albion is the maker of the P& J line...



thank you Miss Fuzz for tagging me!

what is your current obsession?
an off shoulder gray top that I found on sale...
what is your weirdest obsession?
closing off the caps of anything...can not stand something half closed!
what is your favorite comfort food?
moist roasted chestnuts
what would make today special?
if I suddenly and out of nowhere I grew 1 inch and lost 5 pounds :D/ if a friend just came over for no reason other than to talk to me.
what would you like to learn to do?
to bake!
what is the last thing you bought?
urban decay eyeliner in stash, an olive metallic color.
what is your favorite weather?
mild, impossibly mild
what are you listening to right now?

some random damon albarn stuff

what is your most challenging goal now?
finding a paid internship..everything out there ( for my field, right now) is unpaid for..are they serious?!
what do you think about the person who tagged you?
Love miss fuzz, so pretty and nice to everyone :) a true lady.
if you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
to paris, to check out what the cool girls are wearing and then to buy some clothes...
which language do you want to learn?
japanese...:)
what do you look for in a friend? honesty, good humor... is hard to say, I like most people.
who do you want to meet in person?
the beauty bloggers, and then...go raid the sephora together.
if had $100 now what would you spend it on?
eyeshadow!
favorite designer?
none in particular, just anyone who cuts clothes for slim shoulders and petite frames
do you admire anyone's style?
the style of people who know what they like.
describe your personals style?
not really good at it ... colors?wear lots of purple-grays, dirty pink, black, blue/ items? skirts, tshirts.
what is your favorite ice cream flavor?
lemon sherbet
favorite makeup brand?
Anything by Dior or Kose is usually exciting to try.
what makeup do you use a lot?
Concealer, eyeliner, mascara!

thank you!

Sorry my dear readers,

I have been down since my 6 year old cat died this week. Some people have told me is just a pet...but I feel crushed quite a bit...and missing him dearly.

When I go home, my cat will be gone. I guess my consolation is that I always enjoyed him and had fun with him, he was happy as far as one can tell of felines ( they are so sneaky, right?).

Will be posting soon...right now I am not at my best, and feel bad about writing sad stuff.

Thank you for your constant blogging, it really cheers me up. I have been tagged by Miss Fuz ( thank you!!!) , and will be posting along with news about a new brightening (!) product by the makers of P&J.. :) . The suspense!

Hugs, Lou.

dior rose shimmer blush

Love this color! goes on sheer, but can be layered ( not too well), highlights,and well the cool rose color is divine. Thumbs down for being expensive and not to come with a brush..what if I am running around pale faced?? OL appropriate I think, because it does not show up with big shimmers. :D
I had this blush for a year almost, and had not liked it in the beginning because it is rather faint. Now that I have to go to the office, it has become the fool proof blush in my makeup bag.

I hope to finish up some big school assignment ( I am about to graduaaaate :D) to be able to post some fotd !

Have a lovely day!

today's makeup

Today ( and last week's) makeup. Forgot to picture the brushes, lash curler and primer... This is my version of office appropriate...a bit shimmery tough!
Eyes:
Esprique Precious gel eyeliner in brown.Very soft texture :D. The brush included is a "push" flat headed brush. Good to reach in between eyelashes.
Paul& Joe Eye gloss in the silvery white color. A staple of mine. I use it as a base and inner corner highlight. This is the old version. My eyelids are never oily, so I rarely need any real eyeshadow base.
Aube Jewelry Shower Eyes, sheer brown gradation. A cool -neutral brown palette. Flattering if you have some pink undertones as well as for neutral toned.
Dejavu Fiberwig: Lengthens well,but sucks at keep in the curl.
Majolica Majorca brow powder: cheap, nice to try out. The powder comes in refillable pen-sponge, the opposite side has a brush to order your brows!.

Face:
P&J : protective primer - not pictured
P&J Protective powder foundation : fab for retouch. For some reason I like powder foundation applied with wet sponges.
MAC: mineralize blush in Dainty. Not entirely sheer, a bit opaque. Easy color to wear.

Lips:
Nars lipliner in Jilted Love: a ladylike coraly pink to make the gloss last.
Majolica Majorca Rouge Majex in BE 706: it goes on rosy-beige on the lips, not common color.

:) have a nice day ladies!

small haul!

Sorry , I could not wait to use the palettes! I was craving them since they were blogged about by Miss Fuzz. They are truly gorgeous palettes. The plum is more red based than I thought, which is fantastic.
The olive palette is sophisticated and wearable, made me so happy. Usually greens look 80's-reject on me, but this is very flattering and not tacky at all. Loooooove!

And finally went back for the Shiseido lippie in be208, which this time looked good on me (?). I guess store lighting makes me look different each time . But truly, is a creamy every day color.



This is my HG face powder. I do not use it to top off my foundation, but for when I do the no-foundation look. Skin care steps- UV cut- this powder- done!It goes on wet (weird!!!) not drying at all, and the soft beige color evens out my skin while making it look natural. It does not cover up marks , but it is just right for the days of good skin. I like the porcelain look of bb creams, but yes, a natural look is beautiful if you feel comfortable.This powder feels caring...since the powder is rather soothing. I do not know where to get this exact one, since it was a LE in Japan, so I guess I will have to get in the regular colors.

Good night ladies!

news!

*Image porperty of its respective owner.


Wow! just read online that Shu Uemura will be collaborating with Tsumori Chisato for this year's holiday collection. I hope it not to be disappointing , this sounds really promising.
Tsumori's designs are full of vibrant color and lovely prints. I cannot imagine what they would come up with? Ocean/coral reef fantasy eyeshadow palettes?? patterned sea-star blushes? dancing-hippie print cosmetic pouches?

Ohh I have to save! Here is my loyal, old and beat up tsumori wallet. I love the cracked leather and the star! It used to be white and the leather worn to a dark ivory, more interesting now.Can you see the octopus riding the waves?
Much love to you all, good night!

nominated!

Thank you Jamilla!This is so wonderful. The 7 things I love? just seven? haha..in no particular order, except for family:
-my family: despite their wildly different personalities, I enjoy being with them and miss them dearly. ( I am a foreign student).
- friend's kindness: I hope to reciprocate their tact and affection to me, totally undeserved!.
-soft spring days by the ocean: I grew up listening to the roar of the ocean, so it is comforting. -art/architecture/design: this is my career and what I do for most of the time. Wish everyday to become better at what i do and love it regardless the endless all-nighters.
-learning about beauty! : it is fun, empowering and led me to meet really nice people that blog and I admire for their posts.
-elegant, delicate scents: they completely overtake me.
-anything -baby: baby dog, baby cat, baby seal...hahaa!! a kawaii addict after all.( mmm but baby jackal??? maybe not)

My turn to nominate. Please forgive me, I need to learn how to make those cool links:

Jamilla at http://makeupforprofessionalasianwomen.blogspot.com/
Her take on sober beauty and sincere personality is great. I would love to have such great skin at her age! ( my mom is officially jealous).

Miss Fuzz at http://www.fuzkittie.com/
Fabulous girl with the best hauls! She is the first blog reader I have and due to her support is that I got into blogging more often.

MiuMiu at http://mmmiu.blogspot.com/
Her reflexions on beauty feel very honest and personal yet at the same time I can relate to what she writes.Also she has many beauty items that I would love to have.

Bittenbefore at http://bittenbefore.com/tokyolife/
She has japan's department stores at her fingertips!!!!


The fotd...I need to get a decent camera asap. Wearing: Lancome eyeshadow in The New Black: a soft sheer black. MAC eyeshadow in Solar White: a strong golden white. Kate N gel eyeliner in black. Dejavu Fiberwig mascara. P& J protective powder foundation applied with a moist sponge and a spritz of Clinique Moisture Surge face Spray.
Ahh .. such awful inflamated eyes, I hate midterms!



Now, for some of my dieting motivation: try to fit in bf's Dior homme pants by summer. They dub as girls skinny pants best worn ( imho) either totally androgynous or with an impossibly feminine top.
Below is the ( evil ) man responsible for the slim-ness of the past years collections:
Me to Slimane: do not stare at my chubbiness like that...I will quit the sugar !

* all pictures property of their owners.

random

Ha ha ha what a stupid title! ;p but well...I mean to say it! So I went out looking for the recommended "perfect rouge" in be 208, but it went strange on me, the be 109 was right next to it, and it is a high coverage nude beige.Pretty pigmented and not drying. The finish is almost matte, no sparkles, with a soft sheen and a creamy texture. I rather prefer Dior high shines, but this is nice for very pigmented lips, as is not sheer. Please excuse the crappy camera pics. And! I tried the "champagne" flush stick, and it was a soft cream to powder formula(softer than "rosy flush" stick from when the product debuted) and nicely understated. I have this weird skin tone...so it did not showed up on me much( that is my tone's fault). The "glistening" flush did show up on me and I will be getting it tomorrow...as I did run out of time today at the shop :(.

This is my first eotd, I have used the pink esprique precious full sparkle palette in e4 , kate gel eyeliner n in black, and dejavu fiberwig mascara on the upper lashes only. Lou is still learning her makeup application...so please forgive the outcome and the crap-tastic lighting casting shadow all over... bonne nuit ladies!

lemming

I have been looking for a non powder highlighter and checked out the popular nars copacabana ,and found it nice for going out,but too glittery for everyday. Will the accentuating stick in champagne flush be just right? Have you tried it ?
Btw, my renewed interest in highlighters is due to witnessing Coco Rocha's(ysl beaute ads) facial profile. She has a small chin , and in all her pictures seems that the chin is highlighted to balance out her face ( if not it would be shadowed by the more prominent nose and upper maxillar...in my understanding). Having a weaker chin structure myself, I have to try this ( not that I will suddendly become gorgeous, but at least a bit more confident). Like contouring brings out definition, a touch of light can be transforming. Just hoping to make it work!
The bf is staring at me right now as if I am crazy....is the blogging, yes!

*all images are property of their respective owners

shiseido-body oil

Rosarium rose aroma oil by shiseido.

I have received this little bottle as gift from one my japanese friend's mother about three months ago. Just in time for winter dryness!
The bottle is exactly like the picture, retro nona-ish looking , a dark cranberry color and made of plastic. Dark bottles for oil makes total sense, to extend the life of oils ( very reactive and prone to oxidation). The oil itself smells strongly of roses ( duh!) of an almost watery consistency and after applied leaves the skin soft and not sticky or greasy as I thought it might be. It absorbs fairly quickly.
This is great for massaging the legs ( being that you or your boyfriend ;) after a day out for work or school in what I like to think as spider-vein-prevention. My only concerns are that I am not exactly in love with the retro scent from this product. Although I have to say I lean toward the "experimental" sort of florals when it comes to scents ( Kenzo Flower) the most girly I would go would be Guccy's Eau de Parfum II. My mother and aunts would appreciate this oil much more than I do, considering their taste in fragances.

One distinction between light oils and body lotions is their absorption. Camellia oil and other similars are compatible with the skin and therefore absorb in a different manner, while body lotions might be highly composed of silicons wich rest on top of the skin, making it feel silkier but not necessarily more moisturized. This is my humble understanding of the differences!

* thanks Miss Fuzz, you inspire my blogging, as you mentioned you wanted to try a body oil...I would not recommend you this one, the smell is a bit strong and might scare mr. H

milky pink beige

Personally this is my favorite color range for lipsticks, so easy to wear, flattering on most people, subtle but better than not wearing makeup. Having pigmented lips, not all of the soft colors show up on me, so whenever I see recommendations for milky pink lippies I try to check them out. From the January issue of Ginza ( Japanese fashion magazine) I could find some recommendations under this category in their makeup pages:

- Shiseido The Makeup perfect rouge lipstick in BE208
- Lavshuca ( new range) PK-3
- Giorgio Armani Silk Lipstick # 89
- Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pour in # 148 Tea Rose

I have a makeup mission now, I will go out and swatch the ones available around here, I think all are but the lavshuca one. ~ will update!

brightening lotion review

The desire to buy brightening lotions arises from my fear of developing more freckles. I am satisfied with my skin tone, which tans in the summer and becomes pale in winter; it is all ok while I use sun screen. Although freckles and the possibility of a banana face ( picture mature banana) is terrifying.
Considering that, in my opinion the Whittissimo lotion is not bad, I have been using it since march 2008 and I just run out. No immediate results, anyway since I used it on my winter skin, which is light to begin with, but after summer I did not notice any new freckles ( yay!) , the existing ones remained light but not faded completely , although some small spots have dissapeared. I would say this is not a really strong brightening formula, but is gentle and if all you are after is avoiding dark spots, this is nice.
The lotion is moisturizing, so in the summer I would use very little cream afterward.I am not sure if to re stock on this just now, because of the price tag. If the new things that I have yet to try work as well, I might switch.

hate these products

* these are my humble opinions as a makeup user

Scratchy eye liner:
MM sparkly eye liner. I got the one in navy blue with silver glitter. I should have known that this would hurt when glitter is involved , but then, is an eyeliner right? Still, this is hard to apply and very small/hard to handle. It makes me cry!
On the other hand I love mm shadows and glosses, affordable and nice quality.


Drying sunscreen
Allie Whitening sunscreen This has a rather high spf factor and it does not leave your skin greasy or shiny. Although this is not good for dry skins, it makes mine peel off ( nose, chin) , as it is rather drying. Maybe this is great for more moist skin types. I like kanebo's other lines, but this is just not for me.

Dull eyeshadow
Bourjois Baked eyeshadows : fallout, opaque finish ( not so flattering), hard texture. I just did not like this, too rough and why would anyone buy this when there are plenty of nicer shadows out there. Although this product sucks, I like the bourjois mini loose powders called "dose de nacres" , they are buttery, leave a shimmery finish and come in great colors like : steel blue gray and lemon :).

Smelly lipsticks
Rimmel lipsticks smell just terrible. Who wants to kiss anyone with this stench? I was sad to be a student on a budget and not just ditch these crappies and cross the street to grab me some decent dior. I am glad I do now. Since I am posting something I like from each product line I hate...I would have to say that the khol rimmel eyes ( us only) are nice and cheap additions to try for super fast smokey eyes ( i had the one in the darkest navy black - brings out the honey tones in brown eyes). But since I found many more mesmerizing smokey shadows out there, I can not really recommed this.

So rich it makes me breakout-moisturizer

Nars EFA potent cream....is so heavy that makes my dry skin break out ( supposed to be for dry skins...?). I rarely do when not using this. Only after using this cream is that my skin has become so much more prone to white heads ( in the exact areas where I have used the EFA cream) , which is so upseting. I tried this after having a great experience with the Nars aqua gel hydrator, which is a water based mask that plumps your skin with moisture. The only complaint I have with the aqua gel is that I can not use it around my eyes, otherwise they puff up...but the plus side is that I can put this on my bf's face as is not greasy at all, which he appreciates , heeee.

I hope it helps!

lilac magic!

* Again gladly inspired by Miss Fuzz :), thank you!
Several japanese brands feature face powder in lilacs. Why? From reading around and using some of them, it seems because the soft lilac tones brighten an otherwise dull skin. Last year's lunasol highlighter was a lilac-pink highlighter, Paul & Joe features a permanent pressed powder in this hue. Anna Sui has a loose powder version, and so other japanese lines.What this hue does is to counteract the orange tones on the skin and balance it out.
I have tried t le clerck's lilac loose powder after seeing it all over Paris' pharmacies ( they usually sell cosmetics). While it does brighten I did not find the texture as fine milled as the Anna Sui ( hee I only touched it!) and the container is very difficult to transport. In other words, expect to lose powder upon movement. On the plus side, the powder was made from rice, which is gentler than talc. Also the finish was a tad too heavy and dry.
So now I am looking for a lilac powder to complement my base makeup routine, as I am running out of my Dior, which was nice ( and definitely not lilac ) but did not provide brightening qualities.
Maybe Kose AQ cosme decorte pink-lilac beauty....??the problem is that retails for 21000 yen for 30 gr. I will be looking around for others.

Decisions! Red palettes

From reading rouge deluxe's post on the entire list of lunasol eyeshadows , I remembered that I had to get some red/wine palette from then. The problem is to decide which one to get...this is too hard!!!! This would be my first lunasol purchase :)


Red variation from last fall seems like a nice constrast of red and brown. I wonder if it is a tad too warm as I am usually flattered by neutral colors.

The ruby variation seems more pink and the monochromatic look is fail-safe.

Black tea has a red but also a green, purple and yellow-white. this remind me of this year's trend of greens and eggplants.

I wish I could get all of them...hee hee, but let's decide. Please if you would like to comment on your favorite lunasol palette, let me know!thank you!

tired but happy

I am exhausted after the first class meeting of this year and now to nap!
* this is my cat, back home..he is much fatter now. Ahem.

*.* extra fridge for your addiction

When I was into natural skincare, I often worried about expiration dates and the products going bad ( either moldy, smelly, bacteria stuff ). Also I was reading that skincare is better preserved in non humid, not too warm environment. So I would just put my skin items in the fridge, but I hated it since I do not want my face creams to smell like seaweed/olives/whatever-is-in-the-fridge...:(
These days I just have my skin products in the restroom cabinets ( hmm, yay for preservatives).
Googling around I saw this skincare mini fridge (!) in a japanese website. I am glad I am into regular products now,although...this might not be a bad idea...

Fuz-inspired : hair treatment

One summer ago, I was living in ny, where my japanese roommate introduced me to the fantastic world of profession home hair styling...which codes for meeting with the hair stylist at their place and enjoy an afternoon of hair cutting, iced tea and a reasonable fee. I understand this to be kind of weird, but the hair stylist can make an extra income and they can practice their skills...on my hair ( aaahhh the joys to be a beauty loving student). So , since she would only trust asian hair salons, we made an appointment with a friend of hers who works in some high end place. At the end of the afternoon I walked out with one of the best haircuts I ever had and a recommendation to try Esthe clay pack, a hair washing treatment chok full of good ingredients ( squalane, several herb extracts, clay...) . Told to buy it at Ricky's ( some hair mecca which apparently has japanese products in stock) . This worked for my itchy scalp, it totally relieved it from the greasy feeling and left my hair very full. My roommate loved it too and used it far more than me....which was ok since my hair is a little too dry for the clay pack, so I had to follow with a really rich conditioner. Overall I think this is great for people with problematic oily scalps. Mine is only greasy in the summer, and becomes really dry in the winter. So I opt to share the clay pack with a friend, since I can not use it the rest of the time.

In the traincase: paul & joe

Such gorgeous prints and clear brand image...Paul & Joe is definitely one of my favorite brands. My first encounter with the brand was in the paul & joe counters at the Printemps...at that time, I just stared ( WHY?! I guess it was just like love.. ehh..not exactly but..for some reason I was broke ). Back in the us, I found the brand to be available online and because I want what I can not have...I started my small collection.

I was able to catch one of their limited collection lippies,057 the one with the cat print. It is a sheer yet lively shade of pink coral. It goes on moist and does not have visible glitters. I am not sure if this lipstick belongs to the old series or the new lipsticks..it is sheer but still noticeable on my pigmented lips.

The next beauty to be reviewed is the pearl powder, I have it in Afterglow, which is a medium warm pink. The fine milled powder goes on shiny, almost glossy. After trying this one,I am looking forward to try the other colors for the pearl powder. I will post swatches later..when my camera recovers from being tossed in the laundry...so I guess until I get a new camera...but yes, this moist- to-the- touch powder is so pretty.

Eye gloss. I have the old version in Aurora..so maybe this review is useless...but anyway...the gloss goes on watery and dries up very quickly to a warm?! icy shade. Yes this sounds contradictory, but that is exactly how this color shows up...a silver blue with golden shimmer. It is gorgeous for those snow-girl looks. Ahem. Well, when comparing the new eye glosses with the old ones I saw that the pink color of the container's cap is different. The original version is more of a salmon pink whereas the current paul & joe packaging is pink.


The summer 08 protective powder foundation and protective primer with spf. They just work so well together. The primer seems a bit sticky and heavy, but paired up with the powder foundation, it provides glowy hydrating coverage for all day. I had this one bought by a friend in Japan and it came in a wonderful paper bag with the imprinted pattern of the pink flower. Maybe I am crazy.. I go gaga for stuff like this. This combo might be a bit too dry for extra-dry skin types.

....and the black liquid liner. I bought it for the packaging...and it is a glossy shade of black. Unfortunately on my lids it flakes if rubbed. But maybe with primer? I have not tried it with a base. In general I am really bad with liquid liners as I do not have a perfect control over the line.

In my opinion this is a brand for those that like soft feminine looks and a romantic looking collection of makeup. Hopefully they will launch some pearl powder in pewter gray...I would be crazy about that.

beautiful girl- rinka

...she is just so pretty, her face has this great photogenic definition ( to me anyways...). Here are some pictures just grabbed from the net. I do not know but when looking at other beautiful-stylish girls, one finds inspiration and sometimes a "type" that comes useful when selecting a style to borrow a bit from... if I could...

drugstore find - paris

While studying in Paris, I have seen my love of makeup grow. From owning the very basics ( and even less) to actually having enough to vary my looks.
Maybe is that women were groomed all around? is it the air?
But also as a student ( traveling abroad when the dollar was really weak) I had very little money to spare. So it became my time for drugstore shopping.

Luckily in Paris, pharmacies carry skincare and base makeup lines that are very nice and not terribly expensive. I have tried there nuxe, avene, and the dermablend foundations.
But the post today is about something more fun...metallic creamy lilac shadow!
I saw a Nivea counter in the market and I was surprised since we only get their basic skincare here in the us. Looking through the stuff, I picked up the 03 chromic lilac Creamy metal eye shadow, which comes in a tiny painter's metallic tube. The shadow stays put and is a nice base for lilac or purple looks. I use it by brushing it along my lower lashes as it brightens my eyes since the finish is glowy iridescent rather than powdery. I love its light texture.

FOTD with this product:
With the Nars Habanera duo, blend the green mint on the lid and the purple smoke on the crease and outer v. To intensify,brush the green layer over the purple slightly. Peacock feather effect!
Line only your upper lash line. I used kate black gel eye liner.
Now swipe the lilac cream shadow along your lower lashes making the stroke thicker as you go to the outer edge of your eye!
ta da!

Pictures are property of their owners.